Blaine County school board authorizes architectural design work to evaluate Haley Elementary replacement
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
The Blaine County School District board authorized administrators to engage an architectural firm to design options and estimate costs for replacing or renovating Haley Elementary after a facility assessment found extensive deferred maintenance, safety and efficiency issues. The vote was unanimous.
The Blaine County School District board on Feb. 5 authorized district staff to hire an architect to design options and put cost estimates on possible solutions for Haley Elementary, moving the project from planning to a preliminary design phase.
Superintendent (presenting) told the board the district’s 2021 building-conditions evaluation, conducted with Design West, ranked Haley among the district’s lowest-scoring facilities and called out aging HVAC systems with fire risk, pervasive moisture intrusion and an inefficient, oversized footprint. The superintendent said the building is about 90,000 square feet while current enrollment is roughly 306 students, creating about 40,000 square feet of space the district heats and maintains without instructional benefit.
Trustees and staff who toured Haley described problems that go beyond typical repairs. One trustee said the tour convinced them they could “honestly rule out a renovation as an alternative,” pointing to circulation and security challenges, many exterior doors and nurse-office layout that is not visible from the front desk. Principal Wallace (who guided the tour) and district staff described arrival/ dismissal traffic flow that creates safety and supervision burdens.
The board debated next steps and costs. Trustees noted prior estimates presented during the tour and finance committee meetings that suggested long-term renovation work could carry very high price tags; staff said a limited design engagement would produce more reliable cost estimates and conceptual options to present to the community. The superintendent recommended engaging an architectural firm through a nominal-fee design exercise so the district and public can compare renovation versus new-construction options on a consistent cost basis.
The motion to authorize district administration to engage the selected architectural firm for Haley Elementary design and cost-estimating was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote (ayes). Staff said the design work will inform a potential future levy or other financing decisions and that any final decision to build or renovate would follow public engagement and formal budget approvals.
The board did not approve construction funding at this meeting; the authorization covers preliminary design and cost-estimating only. The district will return with firm cost estimates and recommended financing options before seeking voter approval or committing capital dollars.